Now, I hate to sound nostalgic for something that’s only a year old, much less hoist up these artists who I ultimately think are just okay… but these mumble rap artists were significantly better than what we see coming out of the scene a year later. In retrospect, comparing these rappers to groups like Sigur Ros may have been a step too far, but I still stand by the overall sentiment of the post. I’ve already put my flag in the ground on the topics of lyricism and proficiency in hip-hop in this post from last year on the importance (or lack thereof) of lyrics. It quickly ballooned to a genre-wide discussion about what these rappers “brought to the table” if they were eschewing the things that were typically used as barometers of quality within the genre. As these rappers gained popularity and publicity over the summer of 2016 many people criticized the freshmen class for their evident lack of technical skill. This inclusion in XXL is the most important commonality to note because it elevated the genre instantly and placed these artists squarely in the spotlight. Three: Many of the most popular “mumble rappers” also happened to be members of the XXL 2016 Freshman Class. Two: almost all of these artists used SoundCloud as a platform in their rise to prominence (paving the way for future artists). One: almost all of these artists blew up while still in their teens. These rappers took cues from people like Young Thug and Future (who are also often lumped into this group) but remain distinct for a few reasons. This group of (then) up-and-comers included people like Lil Yachty, Desiigner, and 21 Savage who quickly earned the derogatory label of “ mumble rap,” a name inspired by the MC’s apparent lack of technical proficiency on the mic. In 2016 a distinct new class of rapper began to emerge who utilized the path that had been paved by their trap forefathers to carve out their own niche and fortify themselves as the “next generation” of hip-hop. In fact, hip-hop is part of the cultural landscape now more than ever as artists are propelled to success by internet memes which has led to a “look at me” mentality. This combination made the scene feel communal and accessible as it grew to become an undeniable a part of the cultural zeitgeist. In addition to trap’s personable artists, the subgenre has managed to become one of the most popular and dominant sounds over the past several years. After “discovering” hip-hop in 2015 I quickly gravitated towards the “ trap” subgenre whose outlandish figures like Young Thug and Future provided a much-needed break from the years of straight-laced and hyper-earnest music I’d been listening to most of college. My obsessions tend to be longer-lasting, or at the very least, something that I can return to later even if it’s solely for nostalgic purposes. I never thought I’d be “over” a genre within the space of a year.
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